


Fortuna

by ghirahimuwu



Category: Dr. STONE (Anime), Dr. STONE (Manga)
Genre: College AU, Conniving Gen, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Gen has a plan, M/M, Mutual Pining, The plan backfires, U Know., drama club
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-19
Updated: 2020-12-12
Packaged: 2021-03-06 00:47:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 12,321
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25984606
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ghirahimuwu/pseuds/ghirahimuwu
Summary: There's a saying, a very wise one, that reminds us the best way to see someone fall is to sit and wait. But Gen's never agreed with that. If you want someone down, you have to do it yourself, through intrigue deserving of its own court of nobles... in College.
Relationships: Asagiri Gen & Ishigami Senkuu, Asagiri Gen/Ishigami Senkuu, Ishigami Senkuu & Everyone, Ogawa Yuzuriha/Ooki Taiju, Stanley Snyder/Dr. Xeno, everyone is friends - Relationship
Comments: 16
Kudos: 77





	1. Act I

**Author's Note:**

> First fic for DCST nest time might just say fuck it and write a francois/reader or oc one i guess. but this is sengen :]  
> follow me on twitter @orfeoarte also i love you comment and leave kudos if u like thise ♥

Gen's daily routine was his kryptonite. Days merged into one single block and he often felt like he's paddling in an ocean of molasses. 6AM rousing times and late nights aren't exactly good for the health, but being a celebrity since his teens, he's grown accustomed to having, in essence, not a single moment for himself.

He had to be thankful, didn't he? His uni was covered by a scholarship he had no idea how he'd managed to land, other than wiggling his way into it with words and his established name. Mentalist Asagiri Gen, prodigy, Master of the Mind and magician, as well, if money was tight; a brilliant asset for any university with a distinguished psychology program. Really, he could only be thankful that his manager worked him to the bone and restricted his relationships in public. He had to be thankful for having a ridiculously big dorm all for himself, even in those nights when all he needed was company.

Why? Because anyone else would have dismissed the rumors that Ishigami Senku, a 19 year old who rivaled NASA's most capable scientists, was accepted into his University. Not Gen, no. He would never pass on a chance to pepper his life with some fun, as slim as it may be. He would meet this kid prodigy and humiliate him with his superior skills. A great PR stunt, and he may even gain friends for it!

That's when it started. In hindsight, it was a flawed plan very unlike him, born from a desperate mind.

But… that name… those numbers.

Ishigami Senku.

Senku.

He knew just the guy to ask.

The place was nothing short of a manor, its architecture a sincretism of traditional styles and cutting-edge modernity of the sort that rich people seemed to adore. He glanced at the landscape work: never a flower out of place, never a withering leaf. Such was the way in the estate. Of course, it was easy with the amount of helpers they employed.

"Mr. Asagiri, welcome. Shall I inform Master Ryusui?" said the graceful butler, Francois, their chest stooped in a bow at Nanami Estate's opulent gates.

"Classy as always, Francois! Please do, and tell him I have a gift for him~"

With a nod, they led Gen to an extensive waiting room in which he sat, eyeing the decorations like he had any interest in them.

Again, the more conservative approach to decoration blended into a large plasma-screen television mounted to the wall, currently displaying the weather channel.

As per usual, Ryusui's loudness came before his figure. 

"Gen! A present for me? Bring it!" He snapped his finger as soon as he was within Gen's field of view, making him shake his head lightly.

"Alright, but first I need–"

"How many yen? Francois…"

"None of that!" Gen quickly excused himself, the butler's pen coming to a halt over the check paper. "I just need a little favor."

"Um, sure." Both the young heir and the mentalist took a seat. Gen leaned to his side on the armrest, making sure to paint his proposal as something enticing for Ryusui. His hands gestured, inviting, as he laid out a request for him.

"I know the Nanami Conglomerate owns the Uni, yeah? Wouldn't you happen to know who the new kid is~?"

Ryusui gave a small smirk. "I see…" it was clear as day that his judgement was sharp, enough to read his motives as far as Gen allowed.

"The one who's all over the news," Gen added, thanking Francois for the pastry he was offered.

"I do! It's Ishigami Senku! Dude's amazing! He would be a great acquisition to Nanami's science development department!" The sparkle in Ryusui's eyes was so bright Gen wished he had shades. At the same time that sparkle meant he'd won the greediest man on Earth over. It meant victory!

"Right? I'm  _ eally-ray _ interested in science, and I'm sure that with my skills he'd join you, no second thoughts~ So," Gen trailed off, giving Ryusui the time to pitch in:

"That's your present for little old me? Your presents are never free, Gen! That's why we're friends!" With a hearty chuckle, he glanced at Francois, poised as ever by the double-bladed doors. They seemed to smile. "What do you need?"

The fraction of a second they remained in silence was all it took for Ryusui to take a small bite off of a croissant.

"Some info. Like who his roommate is, I guess. I really, really want to be his friend, and if I can help Ryusui-chan out in the meantime, all the better!"

Ryusui sent crumbs flying with a barked laugh.

"You are a man after my own heart! That's a deal. I'll text you with the absolutely-not-privacy-breaching intel within the day."

Gen smiled amicably, certainly looking excited.

"Can I spend just some more time here, though?"

"Sure. Besides, we got some catching up to do!" Ryusui snapped his fingers with a grin, cue Francois opening the door to his studio, and Gen skipping along with a black powdered cake in his hand.

That had been yesterday. Now, Gen sat at his vanity in the dressing room, rubbing his show make-up with micellar water. His phone buzzed on the wooden surface, sliding gently towards his palm.

He'd need like ten grimaces to express his feelings. Scratch that, he'd probably need a new word for it.

It was Ryusui with his side of the deal, and the text was, to put it kindly, excessive. He didn't  _ need _ his whole scholarship application form, but the Nanami heir didn't half-ass things.

So Senku was roomed with a guy Gen had seen around the STEM part of campus, Chrome. He usually hung out around Taiju from Athletics and Yuzuriha from Arts. Occasionally with the addition of Shishio Tsukasa, a Mixed Martial Arts celebrity Gen had the pleasure of knowing and the displeasure of not getting along with (touchy subject). His dad was an Astronaut and astronomy professor, married to…what the fuck.

Ryusui never half-assed things at all, but boy did it come in handy!

The plan fledged itself before his eyes. What did Senku and himself have in common? 

_ Drama club. _

Now, it's not what you think… wait for it! Senku’s father married world famous singer Lillian Weinberg, and in the drama club was Weinberg’s number one fan in the entire world. The girl named Nikki was definitely not his type, and her personality, however sweet she could be, was a bit too strong for his liking, so he’d never truly paid her much of his mind. That is, until she became the key to his master plan.

"Oh, Nikki-chan!" he waved his hand in the air, his flowing sleeves witness to his dramatics. 

"What is it, Gen?" She was currently setting up a few props for the rehearsal, but it was clear her mood wasn't the best at the moment. Nevermind, he'd turn her world around.

"Being a top-notch fan of Lilli~ as yourself, you sure must know that she's, like, riiight here in this city at the moment, right?"

Nikki tentatively huffed.

"Of course I kn– What? No shit?" her eyes widened remarkably.

"It's undisclosed info~ but her husband's son even comes to our school!"

"Who  _ is _ he?" Gen knew she wasn't taking it well, the fact that someone who didn't even like Lillian that much knew more than herself, the ultimate fan, so he had to play his cards well.

"Um… this guy, his name ends in… ku?" his feigned ignorance was all too rehearsed and looked every bit like the real deal.

"Couldn't be Senku you're talking about? The new STEM guy?" Nikki let out a small laugh, as if such a connection couldn't have escaped her.

"Ohh, precisely, Nikki-chan! Do you know him?"

There was a beat of silence as she seemed to be catching up to him. "You don't just want to tell me about it. What do you  _ actually _ want?"

Gen smiled wide, nervous, and put both hands up. "Aww~ you got me. I just wanna invite him to my show! But I can't possibly do it out of the blue, Nikki-chan…" he stretched out his arms at her.

"You're terrible. Here, hold these for me," she released a box of impossibly heavy stage props on Gen's all-too-ready hands, the weight almost doubling him over.

"Ah-hahh~ Just thought, maybe you could tell me about his friends?"

Nikki looked serious, her expression darkening with a heavy secret. “I might hear news about Lilian…”

Gen nodded a few times. “Maybe even meet her, who knows!”

“If this goes wrong I’m kicking your ass,” Nikki said with a huge grin yet menacing eyes.  _ Yup, deffo not his type of girl _ , Gen thought as they shook hands, conniving. His smile, however, all closed eyed and pleasant, did not falter one bit.

Nikki turned out to be a huge piece of the plan. She knew a girl called Yuzuriha, from arts and crafts, who was childhood friends with the subject matter. It was perfect, couldn't fail when she was absolutely excited to hear the drama club needed costume designers. 

"It's always been a hobby of mine!" the girl said amicably, earning an excited look from the guy next to her, tall and muscular (and, frankly, very good looking.)

"Oh, Yuzuriha! You're joining?" 

Gen regarded the episode with his usual fine-tuned pleasant expression.

"I think so, yes!" she confirmed with a finger resting on her lips. "Can I go see you there sometime?" beamed the large boy, giving Gen an idea.

"You know, drama club is always looking for extras, and even people to help us scrawny theatre kids with the errible-tay heavy props~"

"Taiju-!"

"OHH, you hear that? I can join you!" this Taiju character roared, full of excitement. It reminded Gen of a Dragon Ball character powering up.

"Where do we sign up?" 

It took Gen all his willpower to suppress a wicked grin.

It had been two weeks since Gen set out in his twisted plan. Two weeks in which he, frankly, had grown to appreciate the group in front of him.

"So, what I'm saying is the sequins need to go. It's too much work and unless we crunch–"

Yuzuriha narrowed her eyes. "Are you trying to wriggle out of the work? It's for  _ your costume _ !"

"And I'm the lead, I have  _ sooo _ many lines… not to mention my job and finals!" Gen put the back of his hand to his forehead dramatically. "My blood is 50% coffee, 50% cola at this point!"

"Oh my god just sew some of those sequins–" Nikki rolled her eyes.

"No, he's right, we don't have enough time. No sequins then." Yuzuriha sighed, scribbling on her notebook.

"Wait. Those are pretty." Nikki peeked over her shoulder. "I can do it. I already finished my exams anyway."

"Nooo, Nikki-chan! You can't possibly take on that job yourself!"

"Nah, don't worry. Yuzu's sketch is really nice with them!"

Gen had them all feeding from his palm, but something bubbled in his stomach, the realization that everything was going according to his plan only representing a fraction of elation. Friendship wasn't something he was used to, but he started to understand that even he needed it. Wanted, even.

Then again… he did get along with Ryusui. His feelings confirmed when, during his lunch, his phone buzzed and the familiar emoji he used as a contact name lit up his screen.

🐉: THROWING A PARTY. TOMORROW, 10PM AT MY PLACE!!!! BE THERE INVITE EVERYONE!!

He chuckled. Tap, tap, tap.

🃏: hi, Ryu-chan! how are you, i am very good thank you. I'll be there! how many friends can i bring? 🤭

Ryusui's response was immediate.

🐉: ALL OF THEM. gen, bring EVERYONE

🃏: Gee! okay, see you then~

Ryusui liked to host parties. He did it at least once a month and wanted everyone there, so it never came as a surprise to him that as soon as they became friends (a recent development) his invitations reached Gen's phone directly. This was, however, the first time he'd been so excited and  _ adamant  _ about wanting him to bring people along.

Didn't he know? Gen was lonely. The only people he could invite were contacts, past guests to his show and…

Well, his drama club buddies.

After lunch, Taiju was rehearsing for a stunt. He'd liked drama so much eventually he moved onto secondary roles. Gen couldn't say they were close, but he etched a smile when Taiju waved at him. "Gen! Hey, look at this!"

He wasn't graceful in any way, shape or form, but he executed the stunt and fell to the ground, unharmed; which would be more impressive if the sword the other stunt actor, Ginro, was holding wasn't a prop.

"You really got it, boys!" Yuzuriha clapped, and Gen joined animatedly. 

"Don't you think this deserves an eal-ray celebration?"

"What do you mean?" Taiju prepped up, proud of himself but notably confused as he stood up.

"You know Nanami estate?"

"Legendary parties!" Ginro supplied with a finger in the air.

"Well, how would you like to attend one~?"

Immediately, Ginro's eyes sparkled, a vista of sleaze clear behind them. Of course, Gen knew the reason for his interest was the fact that Ryusui was easy to convince to let anyone in, and that meant his parties teemed with people. In short, Ginro was in it to ogle.

"The rest of you?" he asked while beckoning over to Nikki and a girl named Luna.

"You in?" Gen repeated with the same tone as when he charmed his crowd. Of course, he handed out invitations more properly once the group was assembled. It was five minutes until the club ran out of time to use the auditorium, so he had to be quick. Luckily, Taiju and Yuzuriha were the last ones to leave, so he didn't waste time in pulling them apart.

"By the way, guys," Gen started. "I got asked to bring someone new and cool to the party. It's usually always the same people, so it would be nice if you brought some friends too. Someone amazing. Just say you come with me, yeah?"

Yuzuriha and Taiju exchanged a glance that told Gen all he needed to know. They already knew who to invite, and judging by the short time they had to think before that contractual look, it was a no-brainer.

Then, the closest person to both of them, according to Ryusui.

Senku Ishigami.


	2. Interlude I

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Curtains call on the first act. Now, distinguished spectators, it is time to stretch your weary legs and indulge in delicious cuisine...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading. As always, please leave comments and kudos, they make me really happy. Follow me on twitter! I'm @ orfeoarte ♥

"American burgers?" Senku looked at the giant neon banner. Taiju said that was his favorite place to have them, but it didn't look like a huge deal. Well, trust the big oaf to be thoroughly impressed by the most mundane of experiences.

Smirking, he walked inside. By instinct alone he counted the chimes of the bell that triggered when the door swung open. Dling, dling, dling, dling.

Four times, but one was all it took for Taiju and Yuzuriha to lift their faces from the booth they were sat at.

"Yo!" his best friend patted a spot next to him.

"Hey," Senku walked with his hands in his pockets and slid into the seat. "This place? Seriously?" 

His cocky grin wasn't much of a deterrent for his two friends, who gave him their best smiles.

"Cool, isn't it? I feel like I'm in America!" Taiju looked around with sparkles in his eyes, making Senku scoff. 

"This is not one millimeter like a real American place. Why would they hang four flags of the U.S.A. in every wall?"

"They're patriotic?" Taiju argued, though it was clear he believed Senku.

"I think it's cool," Yuzuriha mediated, earning a smirk from Senku.

"At least, I hope the food is up to the title of 'Taiju's favorite'."

"It is! Their burgers are the real deal."

Senku perused the menu they had recently been handed by a waiter dressed in stars and stripes. 

"Hah. The Nemo…?"

A salmon fillet burger with black ink bread and nori.

"They're all named after Disney characters, I think." Yuzuriha traced the lines on the menu.

"This one is Captain America, though," Taiju vaguely knew American comics. He was more of a games type of guy.

"Right. It's like they're trying too hard… Whatever. I'll just have the typical cheeseburger with tomato, it can't go wrong."

Taiju ordered a Lightning McQueen (Senku didn't even think to ask what it contained) and Yuzuriha picked the Eagle, which turned out to be quite underwhelming for its namesake.

"Why did you guys want to come here? Fridays are movie night at my place."

Senku picked at his ear, keeping an uninterested façade. They'd all miss out on Chrome's Hellish Popcorn, and Senku for one did not appreciate a disrupted schedule.

But when his friends looked at each other with a smirk, he  _ knew _ he wasn't gonna like it. Last time he'd seen that expression he'd ended up a model for Yuzuriha's fashion show.

"We got invited to a party at Nanami's," Yuzuriha checked her phone for the details. "It's tomorrow night."

"Huh…" 

"And you should come! Senku, it's gonna be  _ so _ good! Plus a friend of ours said to bring someone amazing and we thought… hey! That's out buddy Senku!" Taiju gestured broadly and almost swatted the glass bottle of cola the waiter was setting down in front of him. "Sorry–"

"Senku, it'd mean a lot to us if you could make it. You're always busy…" 

Senku didn't want to meet his friend's eyes, she sounded so earnest it was almost painful. True, he'd been neglecting them, pulling all-nighters at the lab, sometimes even visiting his dad at JAXA, or _his dad_ _and his wife_ in the United States. The only reason he was there was to finally get a proper degree. He breezed through classes and didn't care the slightest about interaction, but it was true he'd drifted from his true closest friends.

"Yeah… maybe I'll go. I'll go back home early and if they play bad music I'm out ten billion percent."

"Deal!" Taiju, knowing that's all he'd get from Senku, offered his hand for him to shake.

"Actually, don't you think Chrome would like to go too?"

Senku smirked at Yuzuriha's suggestion. She was clearly expecting him to say no, only mentioning his roommate out of politeness. Theory confirmed when her face did a 180° turn.

"Sure, why not? He owes me one so I might as well torture him."

Senku's ominous grin stole warmth from the air, cold and terrifying, and Yuzuriha shuddered, pulling her coat over her shoulders. "Alright, Mad Doctor… as long as you're coming."

Taiju nodded his agreement. After that little exchange, they finished their meals, paid the bill (split evenly), and headed out. Chrome texted Senku with the amazing news that he still wanted to do movie night. Oh, and his signature popcorn was available.

Things looked good for Senku, who loved the idea of returning to his comfortable routine, assembled with thought and care. It was the only way he got to sleep and relax after working his eyelashes off. Well, perhaps he didn't usually get more than five hours a night, but good enough, right?

Anything to make the best use of his waking hours. Not even college, his generation's nightmare with its absurd workload and often hefty debt, could sway him from the  _ actual  _ work he pursued.

Cold, hard science.


	3. Act II - Scene 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> At the beginning, there was party.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi sorry I'm a mess and i take like 10 years to write jfbskdks follow me on twitter @ orfeoarte I'll love u forever. thanks for reading, please leave kudos and a comment if u like it  
> enjoy!

"Yo, Chrome." 

Senku slid off his outside shoes and slipped into more comfortable Doraemon Crocs. The entire living space was littered with the elements of their work: Chrome, double majoring in geology and chemistry, Senku an aspiring aerospace engineer (despite having perfected the method to reach orbit in his teens). Truth was they both enjoyed each other's work as well, so they often did everything together.

Well, when their schedules allowed.

"I'm here," Senku announced again, his nose pricking up at the scent of the popcorn flavored with whatever Chrome had decided to throw into the bag this time.

"Right! What did they wanna tell you?" Chrome grinned, his nose sticking out from behind the counter before he appeared, body wrapped in an ultramarine blanket and both hands holding a bowl of fiery red popcorn.

"We're invited to a party, Chrome," Senku grinned back like a maniac, dipping his hand in the brightly colored abomination.

As he examined the nugget of unbearably spicy corn, he heard Chrome sputter.

"Huh?"

"You heard. A Nanami Estate party, no less. And you can't say no."

Senku tasted the popcorn, and immediately reached for the fridge. 

"What did you put in it this time?"

From the couch, Chrome let out a laugh. "Cinnamon, paprika, pepper powder and butter."

Senku chugged a Monster drink desperately. "Ah…" he shuddered, though his lips were stretched in a smirk. "The capsaicin is strong…"

"Yeah. I also mixed in some of the rocks that pop in your mouth, but…"

Senku's eyes lit up and he ingested a handful of the dangerous food, sliding next to Chrome on the couch.

"This is horrible and exhilarating at once! Better than last time." Senku laughed, drinking again to calm the flames.

"Thanks, man."

But Senku wouldn't acknowledge that. Instead, he immediately demanded to know the movie Chrome had picked. As every Movie Night, they both passed out with the movie on.

\---  
  


"Okay. I want to cause an impression, the sort that would make people speechless."

Gen snapped two pictures wearing different outfits and sent them to his one confidant at the party, Ryusui.

"Just be yourself, then." The young heir's voice wasn't mocking. Gen knew he  _ desired everyone _ , but he still wasn't used to his shameless flirting.

"Cut that, I'm serious! I want to impress someone who's a tough nut to crack."

Ryusui, actual 13-year-old, chuckled quietly. "Then pick the lavender pants with the floral black and white button-up," he responded after a while. His voice was always crisp. Probably because his phone was top-notch quality, or something. Gen was left wondering as they agreed to see each other at the party, hanging up shortly after. He dressed in the chosen fit and lined his eyes as usual. This time, an Ace of spades hung from his left ear, unobscured by the long bangs on the other side. The earring was slightly holographic, and his favorite. 

He would make a fool of the prodigal guy, and look  _ unforgettable _ as he did.

\---

The decorations were impressive, gold and blue serpentines lining the room, a full sized pool table, a home theatre and a DJ booth all part of the attractions. Ryusui only allowed legal drinking age attendees, and in honor of that he set up a full liquor bar, all surprisingly dirt cheap.

"All set, Ryusui-sama." Francois announced with the faintest etching of a smile across their lips as they gestured in front of the bar. "Shall I call for the DJ?"

Ryusui scratched his chin. "Ah, yeah. There's already people at the door!" His smirk was a staple, in a way, if one were to ask Francois, paramount to their ward's personality.

"Understood." Francois quickly disappeared behind the large velvet curtains, leaving Ryusui alone for an instant. That's all it took the Dj to make his entry. The man named Ukyo had a fresh style, and even if he was merely a hobbyist his clear understanding of sounds made him the best. Ryusui wanted the best!

"Is this booth okay?" Ryusui asked, tapping the machine lightly.

"You mean this? Yeah! It's…" Ukyo scratched his nape behind his cap. "More than I'm used to."

Ryusui grinned wide like a maniac. "Good! Ready?"

Ukyo did his best to nod and agree, deploying a pair of gloves and a face mask from his bag.

\---

The music at a perfect volume, drinks going around at the hand of most efficient Francois, attendees rolling in forming a seamless continuum. It was definitely a Nanami Party.

Which made it absolutely absurd. For Senku, the music blared annoyingly. It threatened to shred his eardrums, and it made a despicable pair with the strobe lights. Everyone was drunk or tipsy, the place reeked of alcohol and sweat, and everyone was too close together, rammed in the spacious dance room. Chrome had left to dance with the girl from Literature he'd had a crush on since forever, and he felt his energy fail him.

At least  _ someone _ was enjoying it.

Next to him, Taiju and Yuzuriha laughed and moved around in what Senku could only classify as flailing.

"I love this song!" Yuzuriha feigned innocence as she dragged Taiju by the wrist of his shirt. 

Senku smirked as he watched the scene, but he himself was unaware of the two pairs of eyes that surveyed him.

"You sure that's… him? Guy in the constellation pattern shirt?" Gen scrunched up his nose, tightening his grip on his cola.

Ryusui nodded. "Yeah, totally him. My intel doesn't fail." 

Gen smiled his crowd-pleasing smile. "Not doubting you Ryu-chan. It's just… I didn't expect–"

"His looks?"

"He's a hottie!" Gen whisper-yelled, spying between his fingers.

Through them, the pair of sharp eyes belonging to Ryusui's knowing smirk bore onto Gen, though his well trained cheeks didn't redden.

"His hair makes sense though. So weird… It's the lovechild of the vegetable aisle and a mad scientist. Not a fan."

Ryusui indulged his blabber with a laugh, snapping his fingers and drawing the feline attention of two of his servants, who he was quick to excuse.

"One to talk about weird hair, Gen!"

"My hair is a statement! I was born a calico, and since I stopped dyeing it, I feel  _ better _ ."

There was no telling if his words were true or simply a joke. Ryusui decided to laugh, again, and point his intricately curving and looping plastic straw at Senku. Good thing he was too distracted by Taiju and Yuzuriha to notice.

"Aren't you gonna strike up a conversation? Seize the chance?"

Gen made a point to shrug and then put his palms up. "I'll need more cola for that, I don't think I'm  _ carbonated _ enough."

"Francois!" Ryusui said immediately. "It's on the house."

His butler simply refilled Gen's glass with a swift hand. "Thank you."

"My pleasure," they courteously replied before fading into the immensity of requests they dispatched, each with an entertaining mixing show.

"So stiff…" Ryusui whispered, almost to himself, and Gen immediately remembered his friend telling him Francois had been by his side since he was a kid; and they did not appear to be much older. Gen concluded it was weird to have grown up with someone and yet be addressed as 'Master', however rich and greedy Ryusui could be. 

Nobody, it seemed, was impervious to friendship. Nobody escaped the craving for complicity. 

"Alright… there I go." Gen breathed in deep, yet made no move towards his target for as long as ten seconds. 8… 9… 10… Bored with the pretense, Ryusui nudged him forward, enough for his form to be visible in the strobe.

"Yo! Gen!" Of course it was Taiju who first noticed his appearance. "We were just talking about you–"

"Good things, I hope?" he gave a grin, internally regretting having asked Ryusui for help, of all people. Senku looked up at him inquisitively, and Yuzuriha waved slightly. "Asagiri Gen. Nice to meet you …?"

"Senku," his target replied, dry and blunt. Gen started to think it was gonna be a walk in the park. However, next to Senku was an amorphous figure which, when conveniently lit up by the erratic luminaries, revealed him… tall and imposing– and frankly scary, Shishio Tsukasa, the Mixed Martial Arts champion.

"Gen." His intelligent eyes poised less than a greeting, a warning.

"Hello!" Gen's voice was peppy, but he was sweating like a pig already. "So, what were you saying about me~?"

Stealthily as he could, he took a spot near Taiju and Yuzuriha, making something akin to a round. That way he wasn't as close to Tsukasa, and he could look Senku in the eye. He was smirking right at him, squinting when the lights hit them.

"You're a magician?"

"Actually, I prefer 'mentalist'." Senku nodded in acknowledgement.

"Tsukasa was just telling us about the time he was a guest in your garbage show."

"Thats ude-ray~" Gen grinned wide, making Taiju and Yuzuriha chuckle. He was proud of getting a scoff out of Senku.

"Our buddy over here was saying you aren't that bad!" Yuzuriha lifted a finger, and Taiju interceded:

"Which is Tsukasa for 'you're  _ the _ man'!"

Gen wondered where exactly they'd gone wrong. Clearly that was more than a lost in translation type of situation. Tsukasa  _ hated _ his guts, he never spent more than a grunt to greet him!

But the guy in question scratched the back of his head, sparing Gen a small smile. Rather than a lion, he was a kitten.

"How cute!" Gen clapped his free hand to his cheek and gestured at his companions. "So all of you are friends?"

"Unfortunately," Senku beamed. He clearly did enjoy it, try as he may to hide it.

"Don't be like that Senku-chan. You have the best friends one could ask for." Gen smiled wide. "I know Taiju-chan and Yuzu-chan from drama club!"

"Are you always this cringe?" Senku picked his ear, a gesture Gen thought was quite gross. Though, he didn't show it. Instead, he nodded, a fervorous display of theatrics.

"Even worse. But I can also be quite scary." This time, Gen's lips crooked upwards, displaying his teeth and narrowing his eyes. "Do you want a demonstration?"

Everyone who knew him beforehand was certain to guess his next move: stumping Senku with his mentalist tricks.

"Sure, mentalist, you can  _ try _ ."

Gen scoffed and looked Senku over. The situation prolonged just about bordering the uncomfortable, and it was then that Gen decided to break it with a considering hum. "Well, how about this! I know you have ties with both NASA and JAXA."

"JAXA I can see, but NASA?" Tsukasa raised an eyebrow; not impressed, but confounded.

"That's basic guesswork. NASA is linked  _ to JAXA _ ." Senku folded his arms, nonplussed. 

"You know a host of NASA people. I'm sure some of them you know personally."

Gen gave him a smirk. "Enough to live with you."

Gen knew he had to tread carefully. A misstep could mean throwing the entire plan away: should Senku find out he had actually collected classified files on him, he would never get a chance to achieve his goal. Thus, he savored the silence that befell- as much silence as Galantis blaring in the background allowed for. That silence was his cue.

"Does the name Byakuya sound familiar?"

This time, Senku smirked, but the moment was ruined when Taiju let out a small exclamation for which Yuzuriha scolded him in whispers, allowing it to play out. The intimacy of the circle was a stark contrast to their environment, to the strobes and the people, the music and the drinks. Gen was in his element, and Senku was far from his.

"You're the talk of the town. Recently twenty years old, successfully assembled a small spacecraft. I don't think everyone put two and two together yet, though. Your friends know, but I'm a complete stranger. This is the truth I have! Your brush with stars is intimate: Lillian Weinberg is your step-mom!"

Senku shook his head slowly. He was indeed a tough nut to crack. "What else can you do? That's old news, man, you just linked my last name to  _ his _ ."

"And the  _ undisclosed _ marriage? Even more, that shirt you're wearing is the one you wore then. I'd bet it's one of your only dress shirts, and you're not sure of what to wear to a party, so you chose the same outfit."

"Senku, he's got you figured out…" Taiju was all wide-eyed surprise, and he was brimming with all the emotions Senku kept primly sealed. Enough for both of them.

"Don't you tell me how you found that out!" Senku exclaimed, a finger hovering in front of his mouth in thought rather than demanding silence, a haughty feat in the midst of the rave. "This is exhilarating!"

Out of the entire group, the only one who remained suspicious was Tsukasa. It was imperceptible, a small twitch of his ever furrowed brow gave him away. Without it, Gen could have believed he was fooled as well as the rest, whose faces were all too easy to read.

"Well, we leave you to your thinking, Senku. Taiju and I like this song!" Yuzuriha thus spoke and before he knew it, Gen witnessed a disappearing act maybe as good as his own.

Tsukasa, too, muttered some excuse and made a beeline for the toilet, probably seeking alone time. Following his stride with his eyes, however, Gen could see him settling next to the door and scanning the crowd from the vantage point it offered. 

A matter for another moment. Now he'd like to focus on his leek-haired friend.

"Not as easy as your dear science?" Gen teased, watching as Senku's expression went from passionate and thoughtful to questioning. 

"Science is partly about deduction. I'm just measuring hypotheses at this point."

"I see… Wouldn't it be faster if I just told you?"

"No way. This can keep me entertained the whole party."

Gen snorted, swishing the contents of his glass of cola around. "Then you're like a baby, if a few flashy lines impressed you."

"I'm not impressed, don't get cocky, idiot. Interested at best. I'll reverse engineer your logic ten billion percent."

"Right. Would you like to get away from the middle of the dance floor then?" Gen suggested something Senku didn't know how desperately he needed. Of course, it was only logic to agree. Somewhere along the way he lost sight of his friends, so he didn't warn them when he headed to the bar with Gen. Normally averse to drinking alcoholic beverages, the mentalist decided for a simple coke, while Senku himself indulged in a Cuba Libre.

"I see…" Gen hummed, distracted with the interesting drink choice mirroring his own if only with an added kick. "You the type to drink?"

Senku shook his head. "Just when I have the chance. Otherwise it's all energy drinks for me."

Gen pursed his brows, not too indulgent. " _ Eally-ray? _ " he tapped at his sleeves. "Monster energy?"

"Mmh-hmm," Senku took a messy sip from the primly decorated glass. If Gen was to judge, the alcohol was already patent in his breath. Unappealing as it was, he still thought Senku had his charm.

For a while, he noticed Senku grow quiet and open a chance for him to watch out of the corner of his eyes the way he moved and behaved. It was evident that he didn't hold his drinks too well, at the second drink he showed signs of being fixed,  _ tipsy _ as one may say. Yet for a reason unknown to Gen and perhaps to Heaven as well, he kept going.

"Alright, Senku-chan? I think you've had enough to drink already."

"Mmm? Not 'til I figure out HOW," after assaulting his ears, Senku pointed his pinky at Gen, "you did it. Guessed all that crap."

Gen gave a light chuckle. "Wouldn't you like to know, science-man?"

"Yessss… I would too. But don't tell me!" Senku frowned deeper, bunching the skin on his forehead in a way Gen thought could just about attract him.

Without anyone as much as raising their voice, Francois presented themself with a glass of water for Senku, for which Gen thanked profusely. "Drink this instead, you had enough of that to free the actual Cuba from colonialism," he joked, nudging the water to Senku's arm. He looked at him inquisitively, those crimson eyes glazed over, and drank slowly.

"I think I know my own limits better than you do, mentalist," said the scientist, a slurring in his words uncovering the shameful reality that was his drunken state.

"Sure! But let's be safe rather than sorry." Gen wouldn't let him drink any more, not that he would be provided a drink at all.

But all the care proved to be insufficient. Eventually, Senku gestured towards the bathroom, and Gen just  _ knew _ .

"Hey, Taiju-chan?" Gen bit his bottom lip, watching over a totally wasted Senku. "Can you help me? Pretty please? We're by the couch area!"

Before Taiju could even say anything, Gen hung up and dedicated his time to watching over Senku. Ironic, how he wanted to humiliate this man, but still he remained by his side in this, his moment of need. All for the sake of his own personal benefit? Fame, amusement? Gen wasn't even sure of what he was supposed to feel.

Averting his eyes from him, Gen buried his face in his hands. So unlike himself to care… what else could he do? In any other situation he was certain he would have either left him alone or faked the very same behavior his inner heart urged him to exhibit. Luckily for him he didn't have to dwell on it for too long, seeing as Taiju approached, flanked by Yuzuriha and Chrome. 

"Holy sh–" Chrome started when he saw the state his friend was in, but Taiju's blaring voice interrupted: "Senkuuuuuuu!"

The scene was quite pathetic, Gen could only imagine an outsider's view. Senku, curled up in a fetal position, using Gen's skeletal thighs as a pillow while getting his hair pet calmingly by him. 

Taiju went to grab his best friend and heaved him like a sack of potatoes. "Careful!" Yuzuriha pleaded.

"Let's take him home." Chrome was reasonably worried, but didn't seem too alarmed. Now, why the hell did Gen find relief in that?

He clicked his tongue and stood from the couch. "I'll let you guys handle your scientist. I'm gonna go get some snacks."

He did all he could to make an escape, but Taiju gripped his shoulder, as he usually did, with too much force.

"Wait. Thank you! You're a good guy!"

"Don't go saying that so easy~" he chuckled before waving a hand and effectively leaving everyone to the task of caring for Senku.

As he slipped his sneaky way in the general direction of the flock of people who, regardless of gender, personality type or interests, were charmed by Ryusui’s smooth talking; Gen couldn’t help but feel the bitter sting of  _ something  _ jab at his gut. “Ryu-chan!” He called out as his friend turned around and raised a cup of a really fancy looking drink at him. The crowd doubled in size at the two celebrities interacting.

“Leave us alone, please. You’re all beautiful, but I desire to talk to my friend!” Ryusui made kissing faces to some of the guests that obediently dismissed themselves when Gen stamped his face against Ryusui’s chest.

“I may or may not have gotten Senku-chan piss drunk and passed out!”

Ryusui furrowed his brows and then, against all odds, laughed in Gen’s face. “I knew you were a bastard, but that’s a bit too much!”

“What?!” Gen jumped at least a foot away from Ryusui, as much as the limited space would allow him. “No, we just kept chatting while he had Cuba Libre. I think because I was having cola…”

"How many did he have?"

Gen hesitated for a second. "Two... er… three?"

"Francois doesn't skimp on the booze, but they don't make particularly strong drinks either. He's not usually a drinker then?" 

"Couldn't have done a better job of it myself. He was fixed by the beginning of the second drink but he appealed to  _ their _ good nature and managed to get a third round."

Ryusui chuckled between his teeth, glancing sideways at Gen who now tucked his hands on his front pockets. "Sounds like you care."

"Wha-at? Me? Psh, it's me, Gen Asagiri. Don't assume I don't have something to win from this," the wickedest grin on his face, carefully constructed to fool even Ryusui, held up to the name. But did he really have stakes? Internally, he bit his lip at the thought.

"Could have fooled me, Ace." The heir flicked Gen's earring with a finger and a chuckle. "Why don't you go chat with some more people and enjoy the rest of the party?" Ryusui wisely suggested means to avoid thinking about Senku and his stupid handsome face and silly hair. 

"Maybe I'll take you up on that!" Gen shrugged and sauntered over to a pile of ever refilling snacks, taking a sandwich from it and targeting Nikki and Luna next.

"Girls! Hi!" His voice was lost in the racket of the party, but Ryusui heard the relief loud and clear. He shook his head to himself. Everyone is a little weak sometimes.

Turns out they were funnier when not in drama class. Luna was the daughter of some or other science guy but she wanted to help people directly and went into medicine. Currently, she was running on a liter of coffee, five hours of sleep and two finals. Gen was dutifully impressed.

Nikki, on the other hand, he'd known for some time longer. She did all sorts of sports, and withheld a dark past, according to his understanding of the situation. And although her major was music, she wanted to be a track mixer, not a musician. Or maybe, both? Girl was ambitious. Either way nearing dawn the party shuffled to a lazy close and Ryusui approached Gen as soon as he was left alone. " _ What did you text him _ ?" he asked casually, putting his big hand on his shoulder.

"I have no idea what you're talking about!"

"Alright, then. Keep your secrets… Do you have a ride home? You don't look dazzling anymore, and it's 4 a.m. Can't let you drive or hitchhike or whatever."

"Mhmm… I feel like eal-ray waste! Mind if I stay in one of your billions of guest rooms?"

"Don't be ridiculous, I only have 25!"

Ryusui led him to the waiting room again, where he definitely didn't nap on his shoulder for a few seconds. Soon enough Francois and a cohort of comparatively inept servants had finished setting up Gen's nightly retreat. He thanked everyone, and decided to crash immediately. 

Or, rather, after checking his last messages exchanged.

Gen: how's poor senky doing?

Taiju: Chrome said he went to sleep no prob!!!! So all good!!! probly didn't sleeo enough last nivht

Taiju: sleep* night*

Gen: i imagine… i was like that before i joined drama club, all work no play hsjvsjvx 

Taiju: OHHHHHHH 

Gen wasn't stupid. He knew what he was doing. Only he wasn't certain anymore if he wanted to sabotage Senku or he had other entirely different goals. He fell asleep with his phone in his hands and the perfectly conditioned mattress lulled his rest to late in the morning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> well! if you got this far it means you're into this dumbass fic and it hasn't even started properly LMAO but we're slowly starting to see the conflict, which is more internal, if anything. THANKS TO DR. SERVER FOR SUPPORTING MY LOVE FOR DR STONE   
> also if you guess my favorite character out of everyone in dr stone based on this fic you're a genius


	4. Act II - Scene 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Much alike omens of clouds rolling overhead or the splutter of a leak in a flimsy vessel, Gen perceives a hole in his scheming. But as always is his custom, he won't allow that to obscure him from his goal.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks a bunch to my buddies at Dr. Server for providing a space where it's impossible to lose passion in a project.   
> Don't expect steady updates im a full time college student lmao  
> if u want to keep in touch, @orfeoarte on twitter is a good place! please enjoy, leave kudos and a comment if you do, it feeds my drive to write more!   
> this chapter starts to get into the properly sengen territory!  
> Content Warnings:  
> This chapter will deal with mentions of explosions and chemicals, broadly speaking. But if you like dr stone these are no strangers to you

And once again, he was roused by his own fucked up schedule. Because God forbid he slept for more than six hours at a time, it was 10:00am when he finally lifted those peepers of his to the new day. Horrible, glaring rays of happy sunshine assaulted him as he rubbed the sand off his eyes. Good thing he hadn't drunk anything alcoholic, else he would be feeling ten times worse.

He got dressed quickly, abandoning the oversized sleep clothes Ryusui had lent him. What a guy.

As he 'brushed' his teeth with his fingers (an oversight on his part) his mind floated to his conversations with the leek-haired target of his machinations. There was no mystery to why he liked Senku, but he found it weird how effortless it was. He was an egghead, obtuse like no other, literal and factual like the books from college he'd learned to despise. Yet, Gen didn't despise him!

Make no mistake, he still was looking to wreck him. But finding him attractive just added a level of challenge to the matter, an interesting one for a mentalist of his caliber.

Time to sketch out the next phase of his plan.

"Hi Taiju-chan! Do you happen to know anyone who does special effects? I was thinking of adding some ka-boom to the scene of your fight with Ginro-chan…" Gen's voice painted a lyrically appealing picture to the tall guy, the easiest one to persuade using only his voice. 

From what he gathered, Senku and his roommate Chrome both knew how to make things blow up harmlessly. Out of the two, he believed Chrome would be more interested in drama club than Senku, so he had to place a bait that would get his friends to beg him, once again.

That bait had been set the former night: a promise for distraction and comradery, two elements that come with a membership in Drama Club. It was inescapable with how deeply Taiju, Yuzuriha and Chrome worried about Senku.

He didn't expect, however, for his plan to work so well. As he left for his place, thanking Ryusui and Francois, he was completely unaware that the entire universe conspired alongside him.

Ruri, the leader of the student council and also Chrome's crush was a well known fan of theater, so when Taiju went to check on Senku and invite him to the club, Chrome demanded they join together as a team. The Blowup Team, specifically, which Senku immediately turned down… he would only join under the condition that the name was 'Explosive Tech Team'. A shortening for who knows how many specific jargon terms.

Taiju was the second one to be surprised by the smooth sailing invitation, but perhaps, he thought, his friend had started to mellow.

Not one millimeter of a chance. Senku, not unlike Gen, had more to him than met the eye.

"Attention! Aheem~" He had a certain flair for gathering gazes on his person, drawing their attention like a well-rounded celebrity ought to. What's more natural to Gen than a little old fashioned entertainment industry manipulation? After he interceded, the supervisor professor, a sweet woman built like a brick wall, took the word.

"We got ourselves some new members for the club! Give a warm welcome to Senku and Chrome!" Her loud voice sang. She was only there for the musical numbers, truth be told, but as of late there'd been less and less of those, and she remained the spectral, barely present supervisor who helped some of the newest recruits. In everything but name the club was overseen by Gen, the only professional entertainer in the room.

Everyone turned their heads to the new guys, one bearing an excited grin, glad to see some familiar faces, and the other lost in some thought or other.

"Hello, both of you! We hope you'll enjoy our little club. Maya-chan, I'd say it's growing quite a bit lately, wouldn't you agree?"

The supervisor, named Maya, nodded with a candid smile. "Your doing, I'm sure!"

Gen scratched his nape and looked coy. "I do have a knack for bringing newbies here these days-"

"Senku! Thanks for joining us!!" cried Taiju, cutting Gen off. He was getting used to it. Yuzuriha gave both boys a little wave and Nikki nodded at them. Most people seemed to have at least heard of Senku or seen him before. Gen took a note of it, but his face remained clear. When it got to Luna, though, she did a double take and very unsmoothly greeted Senku.

Chrome was already shaking hands with everybody, so the tension wasn't yet thick. He'd have to ask Luna about it later!

Rehearsal proceeded as usual, only this time Senku and Chrome read the script and took notes in a few scraps of paper. Gen watched over them from the stage, breaking the fourth wall, and his façade, from time to time.

He'd give it to them, their presence encouraged Taiju to give it his all, even more so than before if that was possible. The scene where he sparred with Ginro required a dash of special effects for realism, and something Gen would like to see: Senku's abilities put to use. Sure, he could build a rocket… that's impressive no doubt, but could he touch someone's heart the same way he did?

"Bravo!" Maya cheered her merry band as they wrapped up the rehearsal. As customary, she left them way before the actual ending of the club and handed the auditorium keys to Gen. 

"How did it look, guys? Can you do anything cool for the effects in the stunt scene?"

Senku clicked his tongue, unimpressed. "Even a child could."

Chrome looked over at his friend for a second and then proudly showed his rendition of what seemed to be a bunch of chemical reactions. Gen vaguely recalled seeing those in high school, and then in neuroscience class, but he couldn't tell what it meant in context. "Uh… huh. Well, I'll need some help reading this!"

Senku smirked and dedicated himself to explaining what their minds together had achieved. Although Gen couldn't grasp anything, he nodded with enthusiasm and tried to commend the explanation to memory. "I see! Impressive, boys! I'm sure it will look well. Say, could we do something like this for my soliloquy?"

"Are you gonna explode?" Chrome blinked, not all on board.

"Not me per say. Maybe the background?"

Both science students seemed to consider, and Gen started to bubble with excitement. His plan was beginning to yield unexpected benefits for his beloved drama club, and soon he'd know Senku enough to hit him where it hurt him, to keep him in his place and secure his popularity within college.

But if he was so certain of his scheme, why did he feel more interested in knowing Senku as an end on its own than the means to his shallow ends?

Something was clear: to figure that out he'd need to do some field work inside his own brain.

With all his intellect he moved the pieces to secure more and more exposure to “the issue”.

Each passing rehearsal, he was in a situation that called for Senku's assistance. Explosions, things that seem to disappear, glowing clothes, you name it. Since Chrome handled things quite well, so often both scientists worked in separate effects, consulting with each other at the end of each class, but not much more, and that allowed Gen to get to know him. They often chatted amicably in between bouts of truly hard work, which Gen detested. For the rest of the members, it was clear that Gen had a preference for his leek-haired target, and most of the club innocently attributed it to affinity. Exceptionally, Nikki knew something was up, and Ginro was starting to smell it as well, gossiping with each other every now and then in what was at best an odd sight to behold. That didn't sway Gen in any way. In fact, he needed everyone as aware as possible that they spent much time together. The one who could leave the situation unscathed was himself. Senku could never!

Until then, well, it'd be a lie to say he didn't enjoy conversing.

“Oh, I see. So the combination of these is deadly… That’s why you’re avoiding it, dear madman?” Gen smiled candidly with a hand tracing the calligraphy of Senku’s notebook.

“Yeah. It really sounds like you’ve got a death wish, though.” The scientist scoffed, seeming to brag.

“It’s perfectly human to want to know of eepy-cray stuff!” he whined, flaunting his knowledge in a very different way. This, however, had a strange effect on Senku. It was his reaction that struck Gen as atypical.

“Scientists can’t afford to fear the unknown. We conquer it.”

A raised eyebrow was Gen’s entire response. Maybe this guy was deeper than just a science-obsessed nerd. He was well aware that every person’s layers are uncountable, and each layer is composed of facets. Of course Senku would be no exception. But when he saw him crease his brows with a serious look in his red eyes… Gen was suddenly way too aware that everything he said and did occurred for a reason. Was hunger for knowledge contagious? It seemed so, because Gen wished to know everything there is about him. He wanted to be so knowledgeable on the young man before him that he’d be able to recreate his psyche from scratch.

Uh oh.

“What are you doing?” Luna sat in front of them both, curious. Or, scheming. Gen found she was as much of a go-getter as himself.

“Creating a reaction that will be both harmless and effective.” 

“Fun,” Luna replied to Senku, playing with a pen in her hands. “Listen, the Doctor wants to talk about your thesis.”

"Tell your dad I'm busy until three P.M."

"You know he doesn't want you to call him that…"

"Is he or is he not?"

Gen was thoroughly confused, but his smile didn't falter the slightest bit. Thesis! Dear lord, that's too much.

"Okaaay~ I think I'll leave you two alone!" he made to scurry away, but Senku shook his head. "I'll message him and then I'll keep discussing the reaction with Gen."

That was a new one. Senku took Drama Club as something worthy of his attention, even if he had other, more science-y things to attend to! Strange how Gen was pleased, though he wasn't sure why: this new development wasn't instrumental to his schemes, yet it made him consider.

"Well, then, I'm staying!" he shrugged and sat with his hands on his knees, looking at Luna, who nodded and walked away, not too happy with Senku's answer.

"What, don't tell me you think I'm done with you." Senku's face suddenly contorted into a rather terrifying, wicked grin. "I'm working your ass off!"

To Gen's ears, that felt like the scraping of nails against a chalkboard. "Mercy! No!" he whined, although offering no resistance at all. Senku was already dragging him to the lab room, where they gathered chemicals, ingredients and all sorts of glass beakers and drippers, or whatever they're called.

In one particular moment, Gen knocked over a beaker, and Senku chided him in a way he'd never forget. Behind his angry face was concern so crystal clear it was actually funny. 

"Dude, what the– what if that had a volatile and poisonous substance?"

Gen did his best to look ashamed. "Aww, so sorry, Senku-chan!" Yes, that's right. Saying someone's name makes them more readily forgiving. "I'm really clumsy, it seems. Lucky us, it was, as you say, ten billion percent empty!" 

"Yeah. Don't step on the shards and get the broom from behind that shelf."

"Could it beee~ you worry?"

"Pfft, you wish. If you hurt yourself under my supervision I'd be unreliable and wouldn't be allowed to oversee research."

Senku attempted to hide a smile from Gen, who danced around the glass and looked for the much needed broom. How unfortunate that he could see exactly what his face looked like without using his eyes! Even if some of Senku was tightly sealed in who knows how many vaults, there still remained a portion of him that was to Gen as an open book.

Gen caught himself smiling, and decided he had found his answer. All his research through multiple Drama Club meetings had yielded something he wasn't proud of, but couldn't deny either.

Well, time to shove that right back where it came from, he'd made a plan and as of now it's the one thing that'll leave him standing.

They returned to their task, chemicals blowing up (safely) and Senku laughing like a mad scientist every time he achieved a result he was pleased with. "I'm done with you, Mentalist, if I don't see my thesis director he's going to kill me."

He'd have to investigate that later, too.

"It was fun. Aaazy-cray work, but fun. See you later then!" Gen found himself really enjoying that thought, for more than one reason now: he'd done enough soul-searching for an entire lifetime, and the results were terrible.

\---

"Doctor Xeno. You know you can just text me."

"Ah, but I can't kill two birds with one stone that way. It ensures Luna is where she claims to be."

A 34 year old scientist, expert in aerospace engineering and astrophysics as well as free time ballistician had offered himself as Senku's director. The two had shared a very rocky –but productive nonetheless– mentorship for over ten years, and for Senku it was touching when the man decided to move with his husband and daughter all the way from the United States for the entire process of his thesis.

Yet neither of them appreciated emotional encounters, so they both chalked their state up to something different. On Senku's side he was excited to have the most capable NASA expert as a supervisor. As for Xeno, he wanted to make sure he wouldn't sully his name with a mediocre thesis.

Not sparing a second to formalities, Senku began his presentation, plugging his precious USB into the professor's computer.

It read: "Starting from Zero: what aerospace engineering can learn from the past and apply in the future", and it was almost ready.


	5. Interlude 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Once again, we invite you to enjoy the pause and stretch your legs. Perhaps, talking with the person seated next to you will uncover something unlikely you have in common.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WhOOO we're almost there 😏  
> Content warnings for this chapter:
> 
> Brief explosion mentions, existencial questions, food mentions, light mentions of religious concepts, light body functions mention, fire mention, heartrate mention.
> 
> Let me know if I missed anything! Drop a line please, I love to hear what you think!

"...Puff of blue smoke and fluorescent clothes dye will make you a galaxy." Chrome wiggled his fingers in front of Gen as they researched the same scene for the upteenth time. Something always went wrong with the special effects, and the poor boy had been tweaking this particular formula since the first time.

"And this time, it won't blow up in my face?" Gen asked, half-polite, half genuinely scared. The things one does for entertainment!

"Nah! Don't worry." 

Chrome extended his thumbs up and Gen felt like he could trust him… if it weren't the third time he made the same promise.

"Alright… Putting my face in your hands, Chrome-chan!" he chuckled and prepared himself for the last rehearsal of their day.

When it was over (successfully, for once!), one phrase from it stuck with him. His character, a charming train operator, asked his lover: "Could we have met the same way if somehow all of technology was wiped off the face of the earth?"

He was unsure, once all was said and done, of the reason behind his fixation with that line. It wasn't too remarkable, merely a cheap philosophical question shoved in to make the play appear less…shallow. But he appreciated having something in his brain regardless.

"So…I'm impressed! The shine reflected the character's inner life!"

Chrome's eyes shone like stars. "It looked super baaaad!" He started explaining the minerals and chemicals they'd used, and Gen couldn't quite follow anything other than base level. Luckily it didn't go on for too long and he heard all the important bits. Like it being safe.

As always, once they were all done and wrapping up, he gathered to chat with Taiju, Yuzuriha, Chrome and Senku. Soon enough the conversation veered to games, and he was thrilled to find a common interest among the group. Senku, as always, talked long and deep about his favorites. Dragon Quest was the particular topic, but in flash Chrome dared him to a round of Mario Kart.

"Don't be stupid, I have enough work for a lifetime." Senku frowned.

"Senku! I want to play Mario Kart too!" Taiju rather loudly expressed.

"I believe all of us should play. You can't just hog all the fun~" Gen jabbed with a sneaky smirk, and Senku looked increasingly exasperated, pink on his cheeks. At least the first half was obviously faked.

"None of you are invited to our dorm."

"All of you are invited to our dorm!" Challenged Chrome, throwing his hands up in the air briefly. Yuzuriha chuckled.

"I packed too much food today, we could share some. I can't promise I won't kick your asses and wipe the floor with them, though."

"Oh, my fragile ego!" Gen laughed heartily, noticing that it was quite genuine.

"Good. Shatter him," Senku returned a wicked smirk, of the sort Gen already feared.

And, ignoring his roommate, Chrome made a final invitation. "Who's in?" 

Everyone but Senku responded.

Their place was rather disorganised. That was Gen's first impression. Actually, scratch that. Disorganised wasn't quite right. Rather, it seemed as if the place followed a logic he was unable to grasp. When faced with a God, mortals respond by melting into a steaming ignorant goo. Gen's brain was a mortal to the God of science.

He let out a small chuckle, one Yuzuriha caught onto and returned, before they all took off their shoes and entered properly.

Immediately, Chrome got to cooking, and Senku said he wouldn't help just this time. He took off towards his own room and Gen heard the key turn in the keyhole, and the sound of it locking.

"The hermit returns to his cave," Gen offered a dejected look, and the group seemed to agree. Well, Chrome only to the extent to which he could blame Senku for picking his thesis over the certified friendship ruiner Mario Kart.

Apparently, they had some french fries in the freezer so they had a very classic greasy-fingers kart-off, one which Yuzuriha emerged victorious from, as promised. After it, Gen didn't experience a major drop in the integrity of his ego, but he did have bubbling thoughts he needed answers to. For that purpose he excused himself and asked for directions to the bathroom, choosing instead to knock on Senku's door on the way. 

"Senku-chan?"

"I'm working."

"Yeah, and missing the fun. But I'm here with fries."

When nobody was looking, he'd placed a few of them in his sleeve, carefully rolled in a napkin and without touching them with his hands. For some reason, he believed such a gesture wouldn't go unappreciated.

A few sounds later and Senku's crimson eyes and verdant hair peeked from the slit in the door.

"Ok." He said that so very dryly, but Gen made himself at home and took a step into the room he knew he was being invited to. Or at least his fries were.

"Now that's a surprise, you, having stolen those from Chrome's eagle eye on his food. I'm not actually surprised you could, more… that you did it at all."

"I just have your best interest in mind!" Gen smiled wide and Senku made a sound halfway between a 'blergh' and a Sasuke 'tsk'.

"Didn't they call you the most shallow person on Earth?"

"Yes. So now you're left wondering what ulterior motives I have for this."

"Good try. But I know them," Senku took a fry from the napkin Gen offered and popped it into his mouth without any ceremony, nor any thanks.

"Really? Wow, that's incredible. Do tell, the audience dies to know!" 

"You don't like Mario Kart."

At the simplicity of that response, Gen broke out into laughter. "You think I'm so uncultured? No, that's not it."

Senku raised an eyebrow, waiting for him to keep going. So he did; "I wanna know what you're working on."

"My thesis. Is that all?"

"What's it about?" Gen didn't back down once his bets were placed. In fact, he doubled down on them by resting his elbow on the desk, polished and immaculate white but littered with an uncountable sum of books, papers, and empty hulls of Monster Energy drink. Adds up.

“Ohh. I see. You’re into the history of science and lost knowledge?”

“It’s more what I have personally learned about it, and how to apply it to my field.” Gen would love to say he understood all of it, but he knew said something about the recipe for greek fire and certain ancient cements. Well, that was as much as he’d get from Senku, cause then he started explaining in depth about every single process you’d have to go through in order to achieve the desired result. Needless to say Gen was more intent on cataloguing Senku's mannerisms into his mental inventory, getting to know every single bit of him.

He found out his quirks of speech, his countless references to video games, how he tended to turn everything into numbers somehow… but, of course, all that jumped to sight. What Gen was after was much deeper. Where his eyes deviated when he thought, how he signaled comfort, the ways in which he showed trust. He'd have Senku regard him as a friend, he'd find out every last insecurity, every dent in his thoughts. And he'd exploit that from within.

A sound interrupted Senku's explanation: it was the holler of a victorious Taiju, having defeated both friends in a run.

"Looks like your time here is up, Gen," Senku said with a raised eyebrow. 

"Huh? What do you mean?" 

His feigned innocence seemed enough to dissuade Senku, but the reality was that he knew more than Gen wanted him to.

"Three seconds."

Right before Senku's third digit lowered, Taiju called out to Gen. Yet if there was a beat of confidence and triumph in Senku's face, it was soon erased when Taiju called his name as well.

"Would you look at that? No study for the wicked~"

"As if that made any sense at all," Senku stood from his chair and stretched his arms, while Gen chuckled and spoke with dainty hand gestures. "Well... you stay and rearrange your spine, I'll go see what he wants."

Senku didn't bother giving him a proper response. Instead, he grunted without even looking up when Gen closed the door softly. 

"I knew he wasn't in the bathroom!" Chrome accused him with a finger, while Taiju and Yuzuriha exchanged some sort of look.

"You got me, I was checking on Senku."

"He should come!"

"Believe me, I tried to drag him here, but his thesis is a cruel mistress." To top it off, he put the palm of his hand to his forehead. "Tragic!"

"Don't feel bad, Gen. Senku rarely comes out of his room when he's busy. It's really important to him."

"Yeah. He seems to reaaally want to make his mentor proud."

Taiju had inadvertently opened a huge window for Gen, who seized the chance without a second of delay but with a healthy dose of premeditated hesitation. "Mentor?"

"This guy called Xeno H.W." Chrome provided. "He's got some baaad science skills. Kinda frightening but, y'know…"

"Different strokes," Yuzuriha and Taiju jumped in, making a scary unison.

"Well. Thank you for his full name, I didn't really need it," Gen shrugged, though he would definitely exploit that information, delighted.

"It's easier to remember, for some reason," Chrome said. Well, that definitely helped ease Gen's conscience for some odd reason. Nobody could accuse him of exhorting him to spill when he didn't need to. Nobody except for Senku, who was really mean sometimes, and walked into the living room right that instant.

"Yo. Okay, are we playing or something?"

"No, look at this!" Taiju gestured to the screen. "I wanted you to see my greatness. I beat Yuzuriha!" he seemed way too proud to realize not being accounted for made Chrome exclaim.

"That's cool big guy. Seems like she finally let you win. And well, Chrome is still trying to figure out how to play while looking at the karts and trying to understand what fuel they use."

Gen allowed himself a small smile as he caught the shine on Senku's eye when he regarded his friend. A guy like this couldn't possibly act so cold and think nobody knew just how caring he actually was. It's like he only hid it half the time; when he noticed it.

God damnit, Gen knew what that feeling was.

"What do you say, dear little Senku? May I challenge all of you to a race?"

"I pass–"

"No, you don't! He's in." Yuzuriha shoved the controller onto his hands and Senku scoffed, sitting down on the armrest of the couch, defeated.

"You'll regret it, then." 

In the process of Mario Kart, Gen learned a few things: Senku was scary even when gaming. Especially when gaming. He seemed to have some evil god by his side, he calculated everything to perfection and took unfathomable risks only for things to go perfectly right until the critical moment when he always, without exception, failed to carry out. His friends were used to his horrible luck, but the most impressive thing is he still managed to score second to Yuzuriha. Gen himself wasn't a pitiful player, but he couldn't match the two ace gamers of the house, try as he may. Which brings us to the second thing he learned: Chrome genuinely sucked at games. He got distracted by the workings and mechanics and crashed into walls, but the boy was determined. Or stubborn, Gen hadn't quite figured it out.

Still, nobody let him win, and that was amusing.

"Those are asty-nay playing tactics!" he half purred into Senku's ear, leaning on his side. 

"If Chrome didn't want to be blue shelled to hell and back he shouldn't have somehow gotten himself to first place. Gaming darwinism."

"You know better than I do Darwin wouldn't agree–"

"Curse you ten times Senkuuuuu!" Chrome whined as he was faced with the absolute last place screen. It was cute enough seeing the friends bicker while he barely had to do anything. So he decided to stoke the flames.

"I should give you guys getting-along lessons, my!" 

"Try it, they'll only gang up on you," Yuzuriha provided.

"They're not really fighting, Gen!" Helpful as ever, Taiju tried to reassure him with his big old hand.

"Oh, I know. That's what I fear. If this is them being friendly they'll never find a girlfriend~"

Everything fell silent, all of a sudden. Touchy subject?

"Oh, Gen…" he felt somewhere to his left Yuzuriha attempt to explain something to him.

"Do I look straight?" Senku was untactful. Blunt, even. And he made what was supposed to be a joke, judging by his face, look like a death threat. "Mentalist, you're absolutely blind if you think I have a milimiter of interest in dating in general. But girls are out of question."

"He's gay," Taiju explained.

"Thank you Taiju," Gen smiled like an asshole. For some reason, hearing that made him as happy as a clam. "It's okay, Senku. I have a lot of gay friends," he snickered.

"Wait, you're straight?"

"To quote you, do I look straight?"

"You look like a whole fruitcake."

"Respectfully," Taiju cleared up.

"Not really, no."

"Is he always this wretched? Pure evil!" Gen could have bet on Senku continuing his wave of insults, but he simply let it die down with a giggle. "I'm bi."

"By the couch," added Chrome, way too happy to be able to pun it out to his heart's content.

"I think I will never let any of you set foot in my house again. Chrome included," said Senku who, despite it all, had a dumb grin on his face.

Just then, Taiju and Yuzuriha exchanged a look and a chuckle, while their eyes browsed Senku's goofy expression. Gen, of course, being the absolute Master of the Mind that he was, caught on immediately.

That's why he decided to look in Senku's direction and intercept his ruby reds. Was that a soft pink blush or the reflective light of the lava lamp? Truth be told, Gen had little reason for animosity against this self-denying fool. Did he still truly wish to see him burn?

Knock, knock, knock.

Everyone lifted their heads, terrified. A knock on the dorm door at this hour could only mean…

"Dormitory R.A. here!"

Yuzuriha could have passed for a deer in the headlights.

"Taiju–" she muttered before grabbing the boy's hand and pulling him into the bathroom.

"You'd better hide, Mentalist." The way Senku said that was frightening. Like it was a game of poker and he was about to bet his soul.

"Ah… awwight? What's so scary?" he let out shakily while slinking away into Senku's room.

"Kinro." He stood with his hands on his hips, as if bracing for impact. From his position, Gen could only hear what was occurring, quiet and distant.

The door opened. He could make out Senku's cocky voice greeting the newcomer, and Chrome's following shortly after. There was no reply for a second, until the one who'd knocked on the door –Kinro, presumably–, asked if they were hosting an unauthorized party. Now, in Gen's book, that's the only possible way for a party to be, especially in college dorms. Then, something about sound complaints, to which Senku objected saying the walls were soundproofed.

"If you're going to just interrupt our studies with bullshit complaints, you're wasting our time and losing yours."

Gen chuckled. This Senku-chan, always as tactful as a rhino stampede.

"We haven't had a party here ever!" Chrome whined, and the other man huffed.

"You know rules are rules, Chrome. I have to investigate the dorm."

"Just skip my room. I did some practices with chemicals there but the ventilation didn't work as expected."

"I'll give him lying classes." Gen thought. Obvious, bold-faced as he was, Kinro didn't seem to budge. "My life for the rules," he said, seeming to have read into his lie.

"I also stinked up the bathroom. Might wanna avoid it too, it's real bad," Chrome provided helpfully.

"I'll live, but spare me the commentary about your bowel movements." Kinro's voice sounded ever closer, as if he had searched all the lounge room and moved onto the hallway area. He felt like a character in a dumb horror game, like Baldi's Basics or something.

Suddenly, the fire alarm in the building went off.

"Evacuate!"

Gen's heart leapt like a hare in his chest, and he tried to move away, but he heard a tapping. The intervals were unmistakable: morse code. 

A message.

Gen pulled out his phone and wrote it down using the drag from his finger on the black screen, way faster than the notes app.

..-./.-/-.-/.

And then, as easy as that, calm returned to his body. Senku came prepared.


End file.
